Show ContentsWindel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Windel family

The surname Windel was first found in Lancashire at Windle with Hardshaw, a township, in the parish and union of Prescot, hundred of West Derby. "Before the reign of John, Windhull gave name to a family, of whom was Edusa, widow of Alan de Windhull, who obtained from that king a summons for her dower against Alan de Windhull, son of the former." 1

By the reign of Edward III., the manor was held by William Boteler, but there is no record as to why the manor was lost. Another source shows in the year 1201, Alan de Windhull held estates at Windle.

The Manor of Skelmerdale in Lancashire proved to reveal some interesting details about the family. According to the Domesday Book, it was originally held by Uctred, who also held Dalton and Uplitherland. It was later part of the forest fee, held by the Gernet family.

Later, "there had been a sub-infeudation of the manor in favour of Alan de Windle, for in 1202 Edusa his widow claimed dower in this among other manors, which she released to Alan's son Alan, upon an assignment of her dower here and in other lands." 2 The Windle manor passed, like Windle itself, to the Burnhulls and Gerards by the 15th century.

Early History of the Windel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Windel research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Windel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Windel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Windell, Windle, Windhull, Wyndel, Wyndell, Wyndle, Wyndhull, Windles, Wyndells and many more.

Early Notables of the Windel family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • the Windell family of Lancashire


United States Windel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Windel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johan Windel, who arrived in New York in 1709 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Windel (post 1700) +

  • Lynn Windel, American Republican politician, Member of Republican National Committee from Oklahoma, 2008; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oklahoma, 2008; Presidential Elector for Oklahoma, 2012 4
  • Donna Windel, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oklahoma, 2008 4


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. 'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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